This is an unusual
set. In an example of singular Germanic
humour the cover booklet tells us that
we have Die Fledermäuse. And this
is perfectly true; we have a colony
of them, if we can stretch two bats
that far. What’s more odd still is that
this is, give or take a cast change
or two, the same performance – one studio
bound, the other from live performance.
They were taped presumably days apart
in July 2002 and why they should be
yoked together in this way is anyone’s
guess – it certainly isn’t mine. The
booklet does go into what I hope is
– but fear isn’t - earnestly humorous
justification that smacks of the Existential;
"the image and the conception of
it, the thought and its realisation,
the spirit and its rememberable embodiment."
Strewth and I thought it was one studio
recording yoked to a later stage performance.

Since the main difference
is in the Eisenstein and most of the
other cast members remain constant it
makes this very much a performer-orientated
purchase. Obviously the studio recording
is better balanced; equally obviously
on stage some voices are more distant
from the microphone (in Act I’s Täubchen,
das entflattert ist for instance,
where the Alfred of Francesco Maracci
is up stage). In that main cast change
of Eisenstein (I wonder why) Michael
Kupfer (live) turns out to be bluffer
than Klink (studio) and somewhat heavier
of voice as well. In the other important
change Natalie Karl’s Adele is creamier
than her concert replacement Paola Antonucci
who has a spinto edge. In their duet
Komm mit mir Andrea Martin and
Klink are more elegant than the concert
pair of Martin and Kupfer – and they
have better orchestral precision behind
them as well, though Martin is good
in both. The Rosalinde of Michela Sburlati
is common to both and sings with verve.
There are pluses and minuses in the
live performance – in the trio So
muss allein Gustav Kuhn relaxes
the tempo very slightly in the concert.
The biggest difference between the two
however is that the recitative, which
is abandoned in the studio, is obviously
reinstated for the live performance.
When it’s done well, as in Act II’s
Ach meine Herr’n und Damen it
gets rightful laughter.

The notes are in German
and English, though the libretto is
in German only. I’m not going to make
recommendations or otherwise with Ackermann
and Karajan et al – this is a very special
case. If you want bats you’ve got them
here; if you want a solitary bat you
will go elsewhere. This is more of a
souvenir of the accomplishments of the
orchestra, choir, soloists and conductor
that month in the Tirol Festspiele.

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